Young People & Children

If your child or teenager seems to be having difficulties in their experience of school, home, friendships or other situations, it can sometimes be useful to see a counsellor in the short term.

If there is something happening in a child/young person's behaviour which is not normal for them, and which doesn't respond to your own attempts to help them, counselling can help by providing a therapeutic environment in which they can explore their thoughts and feelings in a safe, supportive setting.

Very often, adolescents are seeking to separate themselves from their family relationships, as they seek to discover their own individual identity, making it difficult to help them in a way you may once have been able to.

What to do . . .

You are welcome to ring the service and discuss whether it is appropriate that your child should receive some support through therapy.

If then you decide you would like your child to receive some help, an initial session would be arranged, in which usually both the counsellor, child & parent(s) meet together.

This consultation allows an opportunity for the parent & child to meet the counsellor and see if they are comfortable with the therapist's approach.

BullyingFriendship Issues

Anger problems Family Difficulties

Poor ADHDSexuality

Concentration

Eating Issues Exam Stress

Substance Misuse Phobias

Parent's Separation Anxiety

RelationshipProblemsSelf Harm

Sexual Education for Young People

The therapist's approach . . .

Blossie uses a mixture of talking, creative materials and play therapy skills to help a child/young person explore and resolve difficulties they be experiencing.

It is important that the child or young person is entering into therapy willingly, as this very often determines a successful outcome. Older children may need some initial information about counselling

and may find the Young People's Page

a useful introduction.

Blossie Pearce is a member of the Children & Young People's Division of the British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy. At all times it is the best interests of the child that are held in priority.

If the child/young person is deemed by the therapist as 'Gillick Competant', then the majority of the content of the counselling process will be kept confidential in line with The National Service Framework for Children. With younger children, some general themes of the work, and progress the child is making, will be discussed so that parents are both kept informed and understand how the therapy is useful to their child, however some level of confidentiality about the content of the play is maintained to protect the quality of the therapeutic relationship.